Squalius Cephalus

The underrated chub. Very often save a blank - and in this case six or seven of them saved a pike/barbel blank! Swans on the other hand - don't get me started on swans...

Twilight Chub

I'd love to say a break in the storm - but I got caught in it! Still a couple of River Wye chub more than made up for it!!

40 Days & 40 Nights

I need 17 more pike to hit my target of 50 for the season - with the best few weeks over February & the start of March to get them. But it hasn't stopped raining so far this year. The rivers are repeatedly flooding and have even swallowed the ponds & pits. We're running out of time.


With the elusive sun rumoured to be making an appearance I took my pike kit on a tour of the flooded ponds - without getting it out of the car! Back home I could see The Wye through the kitchen window - so I thought I'd go chuck a bit of Spam out and have a sit in the sunshine.


There was gold among the chub - a floodwater 9lb 5oz


And 8lb 1oz - not too bad for Plan B - beautiful afternoon!

Beautiful Blonds

The weather had improved so we headed out on our postponed cod fishing trip (plus I had my eye on a conger eel). Ten of us fished; a mix of carp anglers, course & fly guys - even an old piker. Great to be out on the water (Bristol Channel), and a lot of laughs.


The cod however hadn't read the script - and didn't turn up. In fact it was very slow going all day. But my luck was in - the fishing gods seemed to smile down - and managed 4 blond rays (didn't get a photo of the smallest) - these things really do fight in the strong current!




Boat: 10x blond rays, 2x (small) congers, 1x dogfish

Windy Ingrid

Was supposed to be cod fishing - but the weather had other ideas - far too windy to be in a boat on the Bristol Channel. Looked pretty grim out there - but a little jack brightened up the day..!

Back’s Back

I jarred my back, and as much as I hate to waste a weekend of piking, I couldn't do it. Well... I did go and chuck a lure about on The Wye - but only lasted half an hour before I called it!

So yesterday my back was back, so back to the fishing! First & second choice of venue were flooded out - so back to my back-up - The Pits. And a couple of jack pike to get me back on track...

Pit Stop

A couple of rekkies to The Severn, wading about in mud - no pike yet - but I've found a few areas that need further investigation. So far I've just fished lures but I think I'll do a few bait 'n' wait sessions. Looking forward to getting back on there (plus a few other sections lined up).

On route home I've stopped off at the abandoned match pond to chuck a lure about. Four more mini-jacks, was starting to think that was all there was - but a bigger pike swirled at my lure - a potential double? That, plus some nice sized perch spotted will see me coming back...

New Year, New Venues

New year. New venues. New pike? First up was an abandoned match pond - heard rumours of pike (there's always rumours), and seen photos of a couple of nice zander, so I spent an afternoon working my way around with a deadbait rod & a little lure outfit.

A few bumps and takes around the dilapidated fishing platforms (you wouldn't want to step on these), and three jacks found the net. Don't know if it holds a double - but definitely worth further exploration. Might even find a zed?! Happy new year.

Jaws: The Revenge

Beautiful frosty morning, the kind of morning that makes you glad you're mad enough to go out in it & back to pit two. A few hours later without a touch, I thought I'd have a chuck in pit one - what's the worse that could happen? Unlikely to catch that same pretty pike again...


Yup. She was as happy to see me as I was to see her! A run is always exciting - but I'd rather catch a new jack than recapture a double! So even though I'm sure there are many more pike here, and I know there's a bigger one - that's the last trip to The Pits this season.


Have a ticket for a new river & pond starting tomorrow anyway...

(Non) Frozen VIII

The traditional Xmas fish-off saw me, Steve and Dyl head back to Kingfisher Pond. And to cut a long story short; great company, lovely looking pond, fantastic breakfast - but the fishing was tough! The fish just didn't want to play - I think everyone* blanked!


*Everyone that is except Steve. He was on top form, while me & Dyl (and everyone else fishing) couldn't buy a take - he was on a flier! Steve banked seven rainbow trout! Sometimes everything goes your way - well done mate, superb fishing. Rematch soon? All fish returned alive.